By William Ernest Henley (1849-1903)
(納爾遜·曼德拉坐牢39年間激勵自己的座右銘)
Out of the night that covers me 透過覆蓋我的深夜,
Black as the Pit from pole to pole 我看見黑暗層層疊疊。
I thank whatever gods may be 感謝上帝賜予我,
For my unconquerable soul 不可征服的靈魂。
In the fell clutch of circumstance 就算被地獄緊緊拽住,
I have not winced nor cried aloud 我不會畏縮,也不會驚叫。
Under the bludgeonings of chance 遭受命運的重重打擊,
My head is bloody, but unbowed 我滿頭鮮血,卻誓不低頭。
Beyond this place of wrath and tear 在這憤怒和淚水之外,
Looms but the Horror of the shade 恐怖的陰影在游盪,
And yet the menace of the years 但來自歲月的威脅,
Finds, and shall find, me unafraid 發現,並應發現,我無所畏懼。
It matters not how strait the gate 無論命運之門多么狹窄,
I am the master of my fate 我是自己命運的主人,
I am the captain of my soul 我是自己靈魂的舵手。
——我是自己靈魂的舵手,無人能替。。。。。。。